Heart worriers/Cardiophobic Roll Call

[Calamy]

I feel chest pain and dizziness and get short of breath every day. Nothing is wrong with me so I'm told.  I frankly am sick of existing...

Dream, I got tears in my eyes reading your small but significant post. It really hit me hard because I totally identify with you. I get all kinds of pains every day and I am so depressed. Docs keep saying nothing's wrong, just watch your GERD and walk a lot, exercise. They don't seem to understand that I have an exercise phobia.

*I like the Endless as well -- Death has always been my favorite. Go figure.*

[Eljay]

I am sort of a paradox case. On the one hand I have a powerful heart and a resting heart rate of 40 because I do a lot of swimming/cycling so my heart is healthier and stronger than the heart of an average person. My heart worries are just irrational but anyone here will know that you can't reason with yourself. I usually don't worry about my heart but having a general anxiety disorder I tend to get heart worry when I train extremely hard and get to the point that I'm pretty exhausted. I tend to concentrate on my heart and get a panicky feeling that my heart my stop from over-doing it. I also fear a sudden death that sometimes happens to athletes. It's hard not to think about it but it's annoying because I often tend to not finish my workout near the end

[Ladym]

Im a 26 year old mother of 2 small kids and just recently become obsessed with my heart. I'm constantly checking my pulse etc. My health anxiety is beginning to consume my life. I always worried about brain tumors and strokes now I'm all about a heart attack..it's crazy how we worriers become fixated on things. Best of luck to e erroneous struggling I hope we all find the peace were so desperately searching for.

[maric@46]

i would like to know the title of that book, i am in the same boat as everybody else here....my dad had a heart attack last year and had triple bypass...everything went well, he's doing cardio excercise now with healthy diet.  But the problem is that, i witnessed all of it...now i have anxiety issues.  i have acid reflux every now and then....which i had even before dad's heart attack, but now i would worry that it's a heart condition.  This actually affects me a lot, but my mom and dad always tell me that it is all in the mind...because i eat right and my weigth is 115lbs at 5".  I don't drink alcohol and stopped smoking 4 yrs ago.  in short i have a healthy lifestyle.  but the anxiety is there....this one i need to get over, just don't know how. 

i will be going back to my old hobby....painting.  see how it will help.  update you guys on that. 

[NineFour]

I sometimes worry about my heart, and moreso lately, because I occasionally wake up with my heart racing a bit. I am going through peri-menopause, and I suspect that it might have something to do with it. Until I skipped a period a couple of months ago; it has since restarted, I was pretty fit. I could get on the elliptical and I wouldn't even break a sweat until about 25 minutes had passed. Now I am almost scared to get back on the thing, even though I know I should. I'm probably going to get my heart checked out, just to rule out the worst. I recently went through a somewhat traumatic event, that is unrelated to health or family issues, but it was still pretty rough on me, and this could be another reason why I am worrying about it.




Since the event, I have had a bad habit of checking my pulse a few times a day. I should probably stop doing that.

[TiffanyMI]

Hello all

I'm new to posting but, after leaving my new big-shot job suddenly this afternoon due to thinking I was having a heart attack, I figured I need to talk with other people who understand how I feel.  I pray I didn't blow my new job

Anyways, my anxiety is primarily involving the heart with secondary fears involving aneurysms. I am constantly aware of every twinge in my body, and when there is ANYTHING out of the norm (skipped beat, twinge, gas etc) I immediately assume it's an impending heart attack.  And the fact that apparently women have more subtle symptoms has only exacerbated my fears.  I also am fearful when I get headaches and I automatically have the thought that it's a vessel that's about to burst. 

My husband is a nurse and he's been a tremendous help with helping me to invalidate my irrational fears but even sometimes he can't help me. A few weeks ago, for instance, after drinking on an empty stomach and becoming sick, I woke up the next day severely dehydrated, which immediately made me anxious. From there, the lightheadedness followed by feeling outside of my body started, and by then I was full blown panic mode. I was convinced I was having a heart attack and apparently I had convinced my body.  The strongest surge of pins and needles I have ever felt surged down my extremities and they became locked and my fingers contorted as if I was having a stroke! The fear in that moment I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.  After scaring the poor suburban urgent care doctors who obviously hadn't dealt with such an erractic individual, I was rushed via ambulance to the hospital....just to be sent home with a nice little chat about anxiety. Nothing was wrong. I had worked everything up in my mind.

Still even knowing the panic i'm capable of inflicting on myself, I still invite the irrational thoughts and entertain them all the same. I'm hoping that somehow I can break this cycle and obsession about dying so that I can actually start to live without fear.

[theelt712]

Hello everyone 

I have had pretty terrible issues with being a cardiophobe myself. I get convinced when there's a spasm or a flutter of my heart that there's something really wrong with me, like a heart attack or worse. It freaks me out to now end. Just today, I had a spasm near my heart and I became really nervous that something was wrong. I tend to check my pulse quite often.

[BeanDip]

Thats me!

ive been playing soccer since I was 4. Played high school, college and professionally. Recently, I have become obsessed with my heart and having a fear midgame I'm going to have a heart attack or my heart will stop and I'm going to pass out.

[tiredofbeingtired34]

I am so glad you wrote this post.  I too am going through similar situation.  I am a 34 yr old mom of 3 wonderful children and 2 wonderful step children.  I am constantly thinking there is a problem with my heart.  i have had 2 ekgs done both coming out normal but every little pang and tingle i feel i think its my heart.  I even woke my husband up in the middle of the night because one minute my heart was beating fast then i couldn't feel it.  I don't go anywhere hardly anymore because i think something is going to happen to my heart.  I used to be very active even going to the grocery store is too much for me.  I can't even enjoy any of my hobbies anymore.  At least Im not the only one that feels the same way.  My grandfather had several strokes and heart attacks and i think thats were this fear stems from but Im not sure or if its just my anxiety causing this.  I always have pains and tingling on my left side but the drs say its because of ridiculopathy but sometimes im not convinced.  I know i have spinal problems I had back surgery and they are currently checking for ms due to lesions on spine and brain. 

[gundamm0]

So I have no serious reason to worry about my heart. Im a regular runner (not so much lately but im fixing that), my diet is pretty heart healthy, Im a young 20s male, I quit smoking years ago, and my BP and resting heart rate are all within the normal ranges. I have the occaisional skipped beat but nothing abnormal. What started my worry was the new pain in my chest. After boutsvover a few weeks and a trip to the er ending in a clean bill of health I did a bunch of research on anxety which landed me here. Now I, just hoping to find some help, hope, and friends.

[tamay138]

So glad I found this site and this particular forum.  I'm 37 and after a panic attack in the beginning of February, my 'heart worries', have increased greatly.  I've gone to the er..about a week ago, had 2 EKG's since my panic attack, blood work and everything seems fine.  EKG's were great, but my cholesterol was a little high.  So I need to work on that, but everything else was good.  I hate this. 

Just curious if anyone is taking more natural herbs/vitamins that they are finding helpful?  I was on Lexapro and hated it.  Everything got worse on it. 

[harr077]

He guys.

I just thought I'll add my story...I'm a 23 male. Warning long post.

I've had constant general health anxiety since I was about 13. I used to worry about every little thing. When I turned 17 it all of a sudden stopped. Until recently. End of last year I quit my job because it was causing me touch greif. I always seemed to be stressing and always had back pain when I worked on the computer. This is where my problems started. When I got this job a year and half ago all the sitting down on the computer gave me really bad back pain and eventually the pain radiated to my chest. After about three months I started to get fast heart rate and weird flutterly sensations. I started to think omg I have some heart disease. so end of last year i quit and thought enough is enough I need to get my self sorted.

Just before Christmas the fluttery sensations became worse maybe 4 times a day and my back pain was still causing a crushing feeling on my chest. One night I felt slight shortness of breath and all this made my anxiety come back and I turned into a wreak. I eventually went to the doctors and told them everything. He had a listen to my heart and casually said you have a heart murmor. I almost fainted my stomach sank and I thought yep I do have some heart disease. The doctor kinda smiled and said the sounds of it though is probability innocent or could be just your stress and anxiety causing some extra sounds. He booked me in for full blood work, EKG and echo ultra sound test and stress test. How ever I had to wait a week before I could start all the tests.

So that week I was a complete mess. My body shut down basically , I stopped eating I couldn't sleep I constantly felt weak my muscles ached I wasn't talking to my parents or anyone. I thought any night now will be my last. I was scared to fall asleep because I feared having a heart attack in my sleep. Eventually I got thru the week and had my tests done.

I had my echo done and the whole time I thought I wonder what desease I actually have. It took about 25 mins and the cardiologist said OK everything is good. I'm like what ???!! She said everthng is fine and proceeded to tell me some breathing techniques for when I stress out. I almost kinda laughed and said so my heart is fine what about my murmor? She said its innocent and absolutely nothing to worry about. She told me my results will be checked by another cardiologist and my results will be sent to my gp.

I went to my gp. He looked at the results of the echo and ekg and said everything is healthy and fine apart from a very slight leak in one of my valves. He said most of the population has a slight leak one time in their life's and he told me how he also has a innocent heart murmor and very slightly leaky valve. It made me feel a bit better hearing that. So that day I had my blood work work done. I came back a week later and my results where deficient in b12, magnesium and iron. He told me all these deficiencys can cause all sorts of heart and chest sensations.

So I started to eat foods rich in what I was lacking and started to take sustigen which is a highly nutrient chocolate mix you can add to milk or your breakfast. After about a week I felt million times for better !! My heart flutters that make me cough at least three times a day went to only once a week. My anxiety basically stopped and I felt great. I also started go exercise.

How ever it didn't last as after three weeks I started to think what if they missed something ?? So then my anxiety started again and I got lazy with my healthy eating and went back to my old ways. I started to get the weird flutterly feeling and tingling sensation in my legs and chest. So that's where I am at right now trying to finger out what to do now...

[floridaguy65]

I had my echo done and the whole time I thought I wonder what desease I actually have. It took about 25 mins and the cardiologist said OK everything is good. I went to my gp. He looked at the results of the echo and ekg and said everything is healthy

This is all that really matters - healthwise. End of story:)

 How ever it didn't last as after three weeks I started to think what if they missed something ?? So then my anxiety started again and I got lazy with my healthy eating and went back to my old ways. I started to get the weird flutterly feeling and tingling sensation in my legs and chest. So that's where I am at right now trying to finger out what to do now...

Ok, you doing the right things for your mental health is what really matters, now:) That and exercising and having a moderate overall healthy diet.

You ask, "what to do now?" How about trying some of the things that have been shown to help with anxiety. Do your research. Stick to some longterm commitments. Seek out some professional guidance, in the beginning, perhaps. Be kind to your bod, too. Exercise is vital for HA peeps. VITAL. I know you feel your heart is 'faulty'....I did too - many years ago. Your heart is AOK. Tax it:)

The worst thing you can do, IMHO, is to continue seeking medical intervention. How many times or how many different ways do we need to be told we are 'OK'. And, 'OK' just has to be enough for an HA person. Most often, it isn't, though, as we feel our bods are failing us - someway / somehow. You're 23. You're fine healthwise (eventhough you don't believe it). Work on learning how to beleive it more:) I was 20 when my heart freaking out began. I'm 47 now....my heart is just groovy and strong. It always was, too:)

Peace and Well:)

[Go4Aesthetics]

Hi guys - new here.

I'm a self diagnosed cardiophobic for 2 months now and I'm 26 years old.  It all started after getting a muscle strain from doing heavy deadlifts.  I got a sharp left sided chest pain and immediately went to the ER.  I have no health insurance as of now.  Went to part time to take pre-reqs for med school (how ironic).  Anyways they did an EKG and Chest x-ray and both came back normal.  My dx was muscle strain of chest wall.

I felt like the biggest idiot. My parents joked around because they told me I was fine but I insisted on going to the ER.  After I left the ER my parents had a "I told you so" look on their faces lol.


I'm an avid gym goer - I love working out and need to work out 4 times a week or I get real cranky.  I was trying to bulk up so I ate everything in site healthy or unhealthy.  I also took a pre-workout supplement called Jack3d.  I read ONE article that a person died from taking it mid-marathon.  Prior to this incident I loved when my HR would elevate, it meant I was working hard.  I love that feeling of trying to catch that breath after a good workout session.  Most of all I loved pushing myself harder, faster, stronger is what I would mentally say when I was in the gym.

I was a lion 2 months ago and now I'm a pansy.  I work at a doctors office.  Today, after a run I felt my HR speed up and slow down.  I went to the place and gave myself an EKG and it showed up sinus arrhythmia.  All hell broke lose.  My HR is through the at sky 92 BPM, I starting to walk back and worth worrying about the financial situation if I end up at the ER again.  Luckily for me a doctor came in to dictate,  he looked at it and said the exception of the arrhythmia DUE to you breathing heavily - everything came back fine

I'm not taking meds - I want to see how far I can go without it since I've only had it for 2 months.  I feel like I'm losing the battle though

[LivingLife]

I'm like the ultimate heart/blood pressure worrier. Im a 23 year old in shape male with no family history of early heart attacks and what not, I got an echo done and the cardiologists said everything is good I have a slightt mitral regurgitation which he wasnt worried about, when I do cardio I track my heart rate and freak out if it goes over 170 and i notice it usually does if I start getting really nervous while I'm doing cardio, I constantly check my pulse, and if my heart rate doesn't low fast enough after running a mile I freak out. Any sense of pain in my left arm or discomfort I automatically associate with heart attack and stroke because of my "high blood pressure" that I think I have, even though all my doctors tell me there 90% sure its anxiety AND I'm taking a low BP med just in case -__- I haven't taken my bp in 2 months because my psychologists said I'm not ready for it yet. But back when I would I would always go into panic mode and get numbers usually ranging in the 140's/70's and have had a pulse rate as high as 130 doing it even though I know for a fact my normal resting pulse rate is around 68 (I check constantly lol). Sometimes my bp as high as 160's/80 which at that point theres no doubt in my mind that I'm about to have a heart attack within the next 10 min, but I've also gotten readings as low as 108/72. So I guess it really is just my anxiety? But I know I won't be relieved until I can consistent low readings under 125/80ish... ughhhh so frustrating :/

[LivingLife]

Hi guys - new here.

I'm a self diagnosed cardiophobic for 2 months now and I'm 26 years old.  It all started after getting a muscle strain from doing heavy deadlifts.  I got a sharp left sided chest pain and immediately went to the ER.  I have no health insurance as of now.  Went to part time to take pre-reqs for med school (how ironic).  Anyways they did an EKG and Chest x-ray and both came back normal.  My dx was muscle strain of chest wall.

I felt like the biggest idiot. My parents joked around because they told me I was fine but I insisted on going to the ER.  After I left the ER my parents had a "I told you so" look on their faces lol.


I'm an avid gym goer - I love working out and need to work out 4 times a week or I get real cranky.  I was trying to bulk up so I ate everything in site healthy or unhealthy.  I also took a pre-workout supplement called Jack3d.  I read ONE article that a person died from taking it mid-marathon.  Prior to this incident I loved when my HR would elevate, it meant I was working hard.  I love that feeling of trying to catch that breath after a good workout session.  Most of all I loved pushing myself harder, faster, stronger is what I would mentally say when I was in the gym.

I was a lion 2 months ago and now I'm a pansy.  I work at a doctors office.  Today, after a run I felt my HR speed up and slow down.  I went to the place and gave myself an EKG and it showed up sinus arrhythmia.  All hell broke lose.  My HR is through the at sky 92 BPM, I starting to walk back and worth worrying about the financial situation if I end up at the ER again.  Luckily for me a doctor came in to dictate,  he looked at it and said the exception of the arrhythmia DUE to you breathing heavily - everything came back fine

I'm not taking meds - I want to see how far I can go without it since I've only had it for 2 months.  I feel like I'm losing the battle though

Your story is kind of similar to mine, I was really big into power lifting used to bench 295, deadlift over 400 and what not and one day I decided for the first time to take a pre workout so I took a scoop of my friends C4 and thats when it all started for me, I had my first panic attack ever and it was at the gym. Its been 5 months now since that even I've lost 30 pounds, and have lost an IMMENSE amount of strength, I'm even afraid of power lifting now too so I usually just stick to high rep/low weight exercises. And yeah all this has turned me into a bp/heart worrier

[Go4Aesthetics]

Hi guys - new here.

I'm a self diagnosed cardiophobic for 2 months now and I'm 26 years old.  It all started after getting a muscle strain from doing heavy deadlifts.  I got a sharp left sided chest pain and immediately went to the ER.  I have no health insurance as of now.  Went to part time to take pre-reqs for med school (how ironic).  Anyways they did an EKG and Chest x-ray and both came back normal.  My dx was muscle strain of chest wall.

I felt like the biggest idiot. My parents joked around because they told me I was fine but I insisted on going to the ER.  After I left the ER my parents had a "I told you so" look on their faces lol.


I'm an avid gym goer - I love working out and need to work out 4 times a week or I get real cranky.  I was trying to bulk up so I ate everything in site healthy or unhealthy.  I also took a pre-workout supplement called Jack3d.  I read ONE article that a person died from taking it mid-marathon.  Prior to this incident I loved when my HR would elevate, it meant I was working hard.  I love that feeling of trying to catch that breath after a good workout session.  Most of all I loved pushing myself harder, faster, stronger is what I would mentally say when I was in the gym.

I was a lion 2 months ago and now I'm a pansy.  I work at a doctors office.  Today, after a run I felt my HR speed up and slow down.  I went to the place and gave myself an EKG and it showed up sinus arrhythmia.  All hell broke lose.  My HR is through the at sky 92 BPM, I starting to walk back and worth worrying about the financial situation if I end up at the ER again.  Luckily for me a doctor came in to dictate,  he looked at it and said the exception of the arrhythmia DUE to you breathing heavily - everything came back fine

I'm not taking meds - I want to see how far I can go without it since I've only had it for 2 months.  I feel like I'm losing the battle though

Your story is kind of similar to mine, I was really big into power lifting used to bench 295, deadlift over 400 and what not and one day I decided for the first time to take a pre workout so I took a scoop of my friends C4 and thats when it all started for me, I had my first panic attack ever and it was at the gym. Its been 5 months now since that even I've lost 30 pounds, and have lost an IMMENSE amount of strength, I'm even afraid of power lifting now too so I usually just stick to high rep/low weight exercises. And yeah all this has turned me into a bp/heart worrier

It's such a terrible feeling.  As I type this I'm getting mild chest pain for no reason.  I will get health insurance back in 2 months. I started coughing and the pain is on my left side.  It's terrible.  I was fine 2 hours ago while I was in class.

I just want to go back to my old self.  The daring happy go lucky person.

I've accepted that we're all going to die but atleast let me obtain my ideal physique, get into/pass med school and maybe have a kid.

[sillyjew]

I am a 32 year old male and I am in mostly good health. I have had more health problems than most people my age, but not much in the very serious region. However, I am and have been for the past 5-10 years totally focused on my death that I feel could come at almost any moment. Currently I am obsessed/convinced that there is something wrong with my heart and that sometime soon I will go to sleep and never wake up. I have had no real signs that something is wrong, I have had some pains in my chest area and some lightheadedness from time to time, but nothing that would indicate serious risk factors for heart disease. I am not overweight, I am reasonably active, and my diet could be better, but it could be worse.

I can generally make it through the day fine without thinking about my heart; however, when I lay down to sleep at night I can think of nothing else and I roll around half the night scared out of my mind thinking that this is the last night I will ever know. This is starting to effect my life very significantly and it only seems to be getting worse. I just wish someone could reassure me that I am totally ok, and I can stop fretting over this stupid nonsense so I could get back to living my life.

Thank you for letting me vent.

[harr077]

I am a 32 year old male and I am in mostly good health. I have had more health problems than most people my age, but not much in the very serious region. However, I am and have been for the past 5-10 years totally focused on my death that I feel could come at almost any moment. Currently I am obsessed/convinced that there is something wrong with my heart and that sometime soon I will go to sleep and never wake up. I have had no real signs that something is wrong, I have had some pains in my chest area and some lightheadedness from time to time, but nothing that would indicate serious risk factors for heart disease. I am not overweight, I am reasonably active, and my diet could be better, but it could be worse.

I can generally make it through the day fine without thinking about my heart; however, when I lay down to sleep at night I can think of nothing else and I roll around half the night scared out of my mind thinking that this is the last night I will ever know. This is starting to effect my life very significantly and it only seems to be getting worse. I just wish someone could reassure me that I am totally ok, and I can stop fretting over this stupid nonsense so I could get back to living my life.

Thank you for letting me vent.

Man you sound just like me..... Every night I always think yea tonight is the one. I always feel like this then when I wake up I feel normal and silly for thinking such silly thoughts the night before....but once its night again it comes back. For me though I found out I had a heart murmor and I had all tests done which came back all good but I constantly think what if they missed something ....

[Go4Aesthetics]

My doctor is making me get a holter monitor to shut me the heck up LOL.

I'm so ashamed

[LivingLife]

i wore one of those too for 48 hours, he said everything was normal and even when my heart was racing it was beating fine, I got an echo done also and said everything is good I have slight mitral regurgitation but it's nothing he's concerned about

[harr077]

i wore one of those too for 48 hours, he said everything was normal and even when my heart was racing it was beating fine, I got an echo done also and said everything is good I have slight mitral regurgitation but it's nothing he's concerned about

I'm similar I have slight regurgitation in two of my valves. Which apparently is still in normal ranges and nothing to worry about. Ive had echo ekg and blood tests. Now my anxiety is still making me think i have a serious problem.

[LivingLife]

i wore one of those too for 48 hours, he said everything was normal and even when my heart was racing it was beating fine, I got an echo done also and said everything is good I have slight mitral regurgitation but it's nothing he's concerned about

I'm similar I have slight regurgitation in two of my valves. Which apparently is still in normal ranges and nothing to worry about. Ive had echo ekg and blood tests. Now my anxiety is still making me think i have a serious problem.

yeah same I always tell myself that I've got a serious heart problem or that maybe its because of the regurgitation that I'm feeling like this as opposed to it just being anxiety

[harr077]

i wore one of those too for 48 hours, he said everything was normal and even when my heart was racing it was beating fine, I got an echo done also and said everything is good I have slight mitral regurgitation but it's nothing he's concerned about

I'm similar I have slight regurgitation in two of my valves. Which apparently is still in normal ranges and nothing to worry about. Ive had echo ekg and blood tests. Now my anxiety is still making me think i have a serious problem.

yeah same I always tell myself that I've got a serious heart problem or that maybe its because of the regurgitation that I'm feeling like this as opposed to it just being anxiety

Yea I used to think maybe its my heart regurgitation that's actually giving my anxiety. But then I remember ive had anxiety and panic attacks since I was very young.....

[anxietypanic]

Hi All!

It's strangely comforting to know we all share the same worries from all walks of life. I recently lost a good friend of mine in a tragic accident and that set off my health anxiety which set off my death anxiety. I'm a 22 y/o female and have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for about 5 years. Health anxiety got more pronounced and worse in the last 2-3 years.

A lot of you say your anxiety is worse when sleeping, I too sometimes have bad nights but I thoroughly enjoy sleeping because its the only escape I have from my anxiety.

Day in and day out for months now my HA has flared up and all I do is check my pulse, keep taking deep breaths in cause I feel short of breath, and constantly stay still in fear of moving and aggravating whatever elusive heart problem I have. I have slightly high cholesterol which I have dropped quite a bit but still need to drop some more, and due to all the stress lately I have had consistently high BP readings with the most recent one being as decent as can be at 135/80. I think I have white coat syndrome though because I get nervous at the doctors!

I am extremely rushy and impatient because I feel like anxiety is a person that has a gun that I'm running away from all the time! I'll be grocery shopping and picking out a capsicum while feeling my heart beating and racing and skipping. Everything becomes a blur from that point on. I see old people and look at them and feel like saying "ARENT YOU SCARED OF DYING?!!!" but then I feel like an idiot and think I'm just highly anxious.

My heart is my biggest concern even though a cardiologist gave me the all clear 5 years ago. I'm wanting to do another test with a cardiologist but my doctor feels this is entirely unnecessary and reassures me I'm okay. That helps some but it's still hard when you're alone and having skipped beats that seemingly come out of nowhere, or when your chest is tight, or your arm hurts, or you feel smothered... I wish I could have a live in doctor! hahaha! It just sucks with the constant dread of feeling as though ANY second you're going to just drop dead, BANG, and theres nothing you can do about it. sighhh...

Love to hear from you all, share your thoughts!!

- AP